Dear PoPville – What are Voter Identification Requirements?

Photo of Nuns voting by PoPville flickr user ekelly80

Dear PoPville,

Yesterday, after waiting in line nearly three hours at Van Ness Elementary in SE DC, the young woman in front of me was turned away for not having proper ID. Apparently she brought her passport and that was deemed insufficient.

Do you or your readers know if this is consistent with DC law? I felt sorry for her being turned away after waiting in line for nearly three hours.

DC Board of Elections and Ethics says:

Registered voters do not need to present proof of residence to vote, however some polling places require ID to enter the facility. It is therefore encouraged that you take some form of identification with you to vote.

If you will be registering during the early voting period or at the polls on Election Day, you will need to provide proof of residence in order to register and vote a special ballot. If you are a first-time voter who registered by mail and did not provide proof of residence when registering, you will need to show proof of residence in order to cast a regular ballot.

Acceptable forms of proof of residence include the following (must include the name and address of the voter):

Copy of current and valid photo identification
Copy of a current utility bill (does not include cell phone)
Bank statement
Government check
Paycheck
Or other government document that shows your name and address